Glimpses
by Mr. Chaos
Summary: A Flashforward story. for 137 seconds, the world saw its future. But for a comic writer, his cop brother, a waitress, a police chief, and a literary agent, the question will not how or why; it will be what do you do next? IN CANNON STORY
1. No More Good Days

Author's Note: For fans of mine, this type of story should feel very familiar. I am writing this story the same way I did Elsewhere, with the story taking place within the world of Flashfoward, following the same timeline and being merely tales that would appear, if filmed, between the events shown on tv. The characters will reference events of the show, and perhaps even interact with characters.

^&^&^&^

_She was terrified._

_He was coming closer, she knew it. _

_She kicked her heels away, her black evening gown making it hard to run as she rushed past the offices and cubicles, seeking some way out._

_Any way out._

_One door look promising, and without a moment to think it over, she threw the door open and leapt inside._

_But it wasn't a hallway that greeted her._

_No, it was just another office. _

_She realized her error now, could see that it was the next doorway, only 5 feet to the right, that led to the hallway. _

_No time to backtrack, he was too close, way too close. She'd never make it. _

_Adrenaline ran through her as she grabbed a hold of the conference table and heaved it against the door, as if that would form some sort of barricade._

_No such luck. _

_She was thrown back, her shoulder popping out as she smashed into the corner, eyes wide and full of terror as she stared at the figure in the doorway, dressed all in black from his boots to the black ski mask he wore._

_He raised his assault rifle._

^&^&^&^

Renee screamed, grasping at the table in an utter panic. She felt herself falling, her eyes watching as the concrete came closer and closer to her head…

"Renee!"

She panted, her head inches from the ground. She felt herself moving, as if no longer under her own power but by the whim of some puppet master, only to stare up at the concerned emerald eyes of her savior.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"…what the hell was that?"

^&^&^&^

4 hours earlier

Chicago

"Would you quit hogging the shower?!?" West O'Reilly yelled.

An irish brogue doing a fair mimic of Bono was the only thing he got in response.

"Listen ya moron, I need the shower at some point!"

The singing only got louder.

"I swear to God, Thomas, I will burst in there…"

West found the door ripped away, a face so similar to his own staring back at him, only this one's shock of red hair was dripping wet and still filled with shampoo.

"First off, you don't need to shower right this instance. Some of us have work at nine, and some of us are going to sit on our asses in front of a computer, most likely naked, till noon." Thomas gave West a playful tap on the check. "Besides, what would mom say if she caught ya burstin' in on me?"

West glared at his brother. "She would be telling me to stop before she dragged your behind out for wasting all the water." The door slammed in his face. "And I ain't naked, I wear I towel!" He left the hallway and made his way into the kitchen. "And for your information, I have a meeting with my agent at 10:30 for brunch, so I will need the shower some time this millennia!"

Thomas emerged a few minutes later, already dressed and ready to go. He adjusted his dress shirt, making sure his tie was straight. "Wait, 10:30? I rushed my shower because you have a meeting at 10:30?"

"I'll have to leave here at 9:30, most likely."

"More like 10." Thomas retorted, grabbing a banana. "Some of us need to be leaving in a few minutes."

West grinned, holding out a sack. "Don't forget this."

"Telling me to get out of the shower and now making me lunch…seriously, you have turned into mom."

West rolled his eyes. "You can't expect to get a chance to buy something today, baby brother."

Thomas nodded, already use to this conversation. They'd had it twenty times already. "Yes, yes, today is my first day, its like my first day of school, be kind to the other kids, play well at recess…" He grabbed the sack from West's hand. "And don't trade this for anything yummy."

"I'm serious about that!" West called out.

^&^&^&^

"I'm not late, I'm not late, I'm not late!" Dinah Hinnes called out, rushing through the doors of the "Raymond's Diner". She twirled past another waitress, almost causing her to spill the decaffer of coffee she was carrying. Pulling her timecard out, she slammed it down, grinning to herself. "Just made it."

Roberta's fat, sasauge finger tapped the cracked and dusty plastic that covered the timeclock's face. "Think again."

Dinah's face fell as she saw the minute hand.

"It was 8 when I hit the lever!" She pleaded.

"I could care less if it was 7. The timecard says 8:01, which means you are late, again. There is a mop and bucket ready for you."

Dinah shook her head. "Bullshit! I was on time!"

"Langauge." The older woman scolded, her heavy brow furrowing in frustration. "Now get to work!"

"Last I checked…" Otis called out, emerging from the kitchen, "…this was my Diner. My father's name is on the sign, he first built it 50 years ago, passed it to me 20 years ago, and I have been running it ever since." He turned towards Roberta, a yellowed smile showing no malice. "Now tell me…was Raymond your father?"

"But…"

"Was he?" Otis asked.

Roberta glared at him. "No."

"Which means he didn't leave the diner to you, so stop acting like you are anything but another waitress. I say Dinah was in on time, which means she doesn't get punished and that we stick to the schedule…meaning you have bathroom duty."

Roberta's face squished up even more, if that was possible, before she marched towards the back in a huff.

"Thank you, Mr. Bridges…I mean Otis."

Otis gave her a pat on the back. "Was afraid I'd have to remind you about that again." He heard one of the other waitresses ding the order bell. "Well, no time to chit chat…get to work, Dinah."

"Yes si…Otis."

^&^&^&^

Thomas leaned against his seat , staring at the paper bag that lay there.

"I can't believe your brother packed you a lunch." His partner, Ernie, stated.

"Please, I got enough jokes from the captain." Thomas muttered, wishing he could will the bag away.

Ernie laughed, pulling up to a meter. He stepped out of the car, looking over at his partner. "Come on, I'll buy you a slice!"

Thomas shook his head. "Break my brother's heart if I didn't eat this…"

Ernie laughed. "He'll never know."

"He'll know." Thomas stated.

Ernie waved him off, jogging up to get in the line leading to the pizza vendor's cart. Thomas looked down at his sad little brown bag and opened it up, pulling out a peanut butter sandwich and a small note.

"Have a great day, Detective O'Reilly"

Thomas shook his head. "You owe me for this, West," He muttered as he took a bite.

^&^&^&^

"So, what exactly is this again?" West asked, poking at the food before him like it was some creature that had risen from the ocean depths. The outdoor café was cool, though not enough to cause him discomfort…at least, from the weather. The atmosphere made him feel like an intruder, a usurper waiting for the true king to reveal him a fraud.

"A watercress salad." Renee Jackson stated, itching for a ciggerette. "They are healthy."

"At what point will the cow I want to eat come by and graze on it?" West complained.

Renee leaned forward. "Its called class. You need to begin showing it…you are the toast of the town."

"I write comic books, Renee." He pushed the salad aside. "I know you are my agent, but that doesn't mean you have to act all grand and boastful."

"You don't write comic books, West. You create graphic novels, literary masterpieces that have redefined the genre…"

"I wrote The Blue Beetle: Rebirth." He picked up his salad fork, playing with it. "And that is only because Booster Gold wasn't available." He shook his head, setting the fork down. "Not my fault that the New York Times decided graphic novels were cool and made me the most popular novel since that Da Vinci Code guy."

Renee frowned. "Not Da Vinci Code…not yet…but you will get there. You took the medium and made it more popular than it has ever been. DC wants to get you in an exclusive contract, with an option to make you Editor-in-Chief. Marvel is banging on my down with offers. Dark Horse will let you write anything you want. We need to talk strategy."

"All I want to do is write superhero stories, Renee…that's it." West stated.

"West…"

Everything went black.

^&^&^&^

_Dinah stared at the piece of paper. It was the only thing she could see, the only thing she was focused on. She reread the sentence, over and over, committing it to memory even though she knew it by heart._

_Over and over, she read it again and again._

_Nothing else mattered._

_Just the message._

_^&^&^&^_

The first thing West saw as he came to was Renee falling. The sounds of panic and confusion left him as he dove towards her, catching her head moments before it struck the ground.

"…what the hell was that?" Renee whispered.

West shook his head, shell shocked. "I…I don't know."

His senses began to return, the world around him coming back into focus. He could hear the screams from the road, smell the fire and burning gas, at times feel the heat on the winds…

He turned, staring in horror at the signs of destruction and chaos. Cars were wrapped around one another, some on fire, others already reduced to twisted black metal, bony limbs peaking out as flesh melted from them. He could hear cries for help, and a sudden strength filled his limbs he never knew he had.

"Where are you going?" Renee called out.

West turned to her, gesturing at the destruction that lay before them. "We have to help them!"

Renee tugged on his arm. "Let the police handle it…"

West tugged free. "People will die if we don't help them." He looked about the café, not one of the patrons moving to assist…all merely sitting there, taking it in like some sort of sick peep show. "Damn it, this is why I hate being rich…I get lumped in with these assholes."

Leaping over the small fence that separated the café from the street, West rushed out into the street to help anyone he could.

^&^&^&^

Dinah groaned, lifting herself from the hard tile. Her nose ached, and from the dull pain that came from her arm, she could tell she had spilled hot coffee all over herself when she had gone down.

Images danced in her head as she sat up, looking about the diner, the other patrons seemingly ok.

"Everyone alright?" Otis called out, hobbling from the kitchen, his shirt covered in spilt gravy.

Roberta nodded from where she leaned against the wall. "I…I think so."

Dinah wasn't paying attention though, instead focused on the napkin holder that had fallen to the ground. Snatching it up, she used her pen to scribe a quick note, the message from her vision still playing in her mind.

She tugged it away before anyone could see.

^&^&^&^

Thomas' world was upside-down.

Literally.

Fumbling with his seatbelt, he fell to the car roof, head smooshed to one side. Groaning, he forced his door open after a few times, tumbling to the asphalt. Finally standing up, and using the flipped car to help steady him, Thomas finally got a chance to take in the destruction around him.

Buildings were on fire, smoke rising near the airport. One building had a massive hole in its side, fire eating away at its steel, trying to bend and break them. Dead bodies lay scattered around him, those alive trying to do their best to help.

He turned to his left, only to find the pizza vendor's cart gone, replaced by the flaming wreck of a car, people burned in every degree imaginable.

"…Ernie!" He bellowed, limping towards the rubble, ignoring the people that were calling for his help, seeing him not as a man seeking out a partner but as a detective that might have answers. "Ernie!" He screamed again. "Ern…"

Thomas stopped dead as his foot struck something.

He slowly looked down, head trembling like he was stuck in an earthquake.

Ernie's severed head stared back at him.

He didn't know how long he stared at that sight before he felt hands grab him, pulling him away. He fought against them, struggling, eyes only on the head of his new partner…

"Thomas!"

The call forced him to look up.

"West?" He whispered.

His older brother stared at him, tears in his eyes. "I'm here Thomas, I'm here."

Thomas licked his lips. "Thanks for the lunch," He managed to get out, before collapsing in his brother's arms.

^&^&^&^

Hours had past, and still the images Renee had seen haunted her.

Even as she sat curled up on her couch, her comfort ice cream forgotten and melted, the image of the man from the government telling the world that all had experienced this doing nothing to calm her,

Some of the people at her agency had seen happy things. A couple boring. She didn't know if any had seen horrors like she had…she doubted any of them would talk about it.

Had she truly seen her future…seen what awaited her in 6 months time?

That…that was the question that kept her shaking all night long.

^&^&^&^

"What did you see?"

Thomas held glass of water in his hand. They had long turned off the news, every channel only showing destruction and mayhem. Some tv show West owned on DVD was playing now, though neither was watching it.

West looked at his brother, knowing he shouldn't be here, should be at a hospital…he had been near catatonic when he'd carried him back to the police station, all 11 blocks. But he'd come out of his stupor, refused aid, and asked only to go back home.

Thus the two found themselves in their apartment, sitting in silence.

"A ceiling." Thomas finally answered. "I saw a ceiling. Could hear voices…no clue what they were saying…I thought I was in the hospital, till I woke back up in my car."

West said nothing.

"What about you? They say those were visions of our future…you see anything better?"

^&^&^&^

_West moved through the space, his body tense and mind filled with only one thought. His footfalls echoed all about him as he continued onward, muscles tight and ready to lunge._

_Turning to his left, he shoved the door open, taking in the room._

_Renee's terror filled eyes stared up at him._

_  
West lifted his assault rifle._

_^&^&^&^_

"No…nothing special."


	2. White to Play

"Listen up, everyone!" Lieutenant Jake Sinclair called out, the officers around him growing quite. "Now that you pansies have shut up, maybe we can begin!"

Sinclair was a hulking figure, looking more like a 1950s comic book character than an actual person. 6 foot 3, 250 pounds of raw muscle that barely fit in his tight dress shirt, a cigar poking out of the breast poke, he was a political cartoon brought to life.

"First off, I am required to welcome back our returning officers and detectives." He glanced at all those men and women who had come back from their required 1 week off, due to trauma on the job. "So, welcome back…nice of you to stop making the rest of us non-lazy jackholes do your work!" He narrowed his eyes. "So, if you are gone wetting yourselves in the corner over some mind flashes, lets get to work helping the rest of this city cope!"

Lt. Sinclair had not gotten where he was through playing political games or developing loyalties. He was in charge because he forced himself there…and everyone was too scared to say no to him.

"Now then, we got a lot of cops buried because of last week, so we are assigning new partners. Just because the world went nuts doesn't mean we get any breaks. So get off your asses, find out where you are assigned, and get the hell out of there!"

Thomas O'Reilly slowly made his way to list the Lt. had posted, glancing down to find his name. He hadn't wanted to take a week off, but the fates were against him. A photographer had spotted him and West staring down at his partner's head and snapped a shot. The image of West O'Reilly, the new toast of Chicago, standing with his brother amongst the carnage had made front pages everywhere, resulting in his mother bugging him nearly 2 a day to the mayor demanding Thomas take a week off and recover.

"Sir…my name isn't on the list." Thomas stated.

Lt. Sinclair grinned, many of the other detectives scurrying away like roaches at the sight. "Ah, there is a good reason for that. Seems you are the mayor's new golden boy."

"I want to work, Sir." Thomas stated.

"You better." Sinclair snapped. "Because guess what? The mayor gave you a special partner: Me." Sinclair poked Thomas in the chest. "I'm suppose to keep you alive."

Thomas resisted the urge to groan. "Yes sir."

"Go get us the car, O'Reilly…time for you to see how the city's been doing since you went cracker jacks."

^&^&^&^

"Order up!" Otis called out, ringing the bell beside him before turning once more to the stove, working on more hash browns. The city, luckily for him, was not getting back to normal. As horrible as it might have been, the crisis of last week had been a boon for him. Otis had been one of the few to realize that, instead of jacking up prices, it would be better to keep them low, taking the risk that the world would right itself.

It had paid off in spades.

Word had spread among relief workers and the National Guard troops that had arrived in the city to help rebuild that his diner alone had remained honest and open during the crisis…and that had gotten him a loyal new customer base.

"Order up!" He called out, putting out another dish of hash browns…only to see that the first order was still sitting there, "Dinah! I said order up!" he called out.

Dinah shook her head, freeing herself from whatever trance she had been in. Stuffing a napkin she had been writing on in her pocket, she got back to work, collecting the plates and weaving her way through the crowded diner.

Otis shook his head. Whatever Dinah had seen during her blackout had left her in a fog, at times seemingly still lost in whatever she had seen. There had been many times Otis had come upon her writing something on a napkin or scrap of paper, only for the girl to hid it away before he could get a good look.

The old man simply didn't understand what the problem was. It seemed to him that the images everyone seen were more like dreams than anything else. Yes, there were reports of shared visions, but that meant nothing. There were plenty of people who thought Elvis was alive…that didn't make it true.

Roberta had told him that she had seen nothing, remembered nothing, just like she always did when she fell asleep.

Otis had dreamed…a strange, surreal dream.

^&^&^&^

(6 Months Later)

_Otis tugged on the handcuff that kept him bound to the chair. In the corner, a man in a dark suit was taking a call, bits and pieces coming in clear._

_"Fear....she…brother…careful…call…"_

_Otis, however, wasn't paying attention. Feelings flashed through his brain and soul, switching without warning._

_He felt fear for what the future held._

_He felt rage at Dinah for thanking him._

_He felt frustration at the man in the room._

_He felt hatred for HIM…the man that had ruined everything…that was still out there…_

_But most of all…he felt defeated. He felt the weight of depression and loss upon him, forcing him to lower his head._

_The dark suit man looked at him as he dialed another number._

_"You aren't going to escape me…you know that, right?" He raised the phone to his ear. "We got a problem."_

_Otis just muttered to himself, "It doesn't matter…damned if I did or damned if I didn't."_

_^&^&^&^_

Otis thought the dream was just stupid. He could never hate Dinah…she was a sweet, kind girl that had brought so much joy into the diner. She was bubbly and sweet…a real life princess that had stumbled into his world, lighting it for the first time in years. For the first time in decades he had found himself smiling again, and wondering why he had surrounded himself with such angry and depressing people instead of this ray of sunlight.

"Order up!" Otis called out.

^&^&^&^

"You aren't going to tell me?"

West glanced over at Renee as they walked along the sidewalk, taking in the rebuilding process. Things were moving quickly...which wasn't surprising when the PResident called this town home.

The editor-in-chief at DC had called Renee and West earlier that morning to discuss a new project. Pointing out the power of famed Spider-Man Black issue, in which SPider-Man, along with other heroes and villains of the Marvel universe, had dealt with the tradegy of 9/11, the editor had decided that a similar comic for what had happened a week ago may be a good idea.

"It could help people cope...to see these powerful figures dealing with their own trauma and loss and confusion."

West, along with several other writers, had been asked to work together. Renee had been beaming at the thought; West was going to be working with the writers of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, three of the biggest writers in comics. They were going to tell their own characters' tales, while West would write about how the Blue Beetle, Booster Gold (West's number one demand) and a character to be decided upon later were coping.

The meeting had ended with West finally agreeing to get on board, the last hold out. He'd then asked if he could leave, skipping the luncheon the editor had planned so he could gather his thoughts. Renee had followed after and, as she had been doing all week, pestered him to tell her what he had seen.

"I told you what I saw." She said, sounding wounded. She had spilled her guts to him the day after the event, her fear filling West. The last thing he wanted to do was tell her that he was the gunman she had seen.

"I don't want to talk about it, ok...it's personal."

"More personal than dying?" Renee challenged. He had been trying to convince her that she wouldn't die, but Renee, as she always did, wouldn't let up. Instead, she was planning on how she would avoid her fate...how she would prevent its coming.

"Yeah." West stated, thinking about his agent purchasing a bullet proof vest the other day and discussing with him taking shooting lessions. "It is."

^&^&^&^

"Sir..." Thomas said as they drove about the city, "I didn't want the time off.

Lt. Sinclair just glanced over at him. "Yeah, that's why you had your brother beg the mayor for it?"

Thomas groaned. "My brother is overprotective, sir. He packs me bag lunches and wants me to text him when I can to let him know I am ok."

"Sounds like a pansy."

"Watch it." Thomas snarled. "That's my brother."

Sinclair grinned from where he sat in the passenger seat, having forced Thomas to drive so he could do as he pleased. Which, in this case, was playing with a pocket knife. "Finally hit a nerve, golden boy?"

Thomas took a deep breath. "I am a cop, sir…I know partners will die. My brother doesn't accept that…so Ernie dying hit him hard…made him think about me."

"Sounds like he needs to grow up…and grow a pair." Lt. Sinclair stated. He stared out at the city. "Tell me, golden boy…what ya dream about? Medals? Dinner with the friggin' pope?"

"A white ceiling." Thomas admitted. "I was staring up at a white ceiling…that's all I saw."

"Damn it, even your visions are pathetic."

Thomas remained quiet for several moments. "What did you see, sir?"

"None of your (censored) business." Sinclair snapped.

^&^&^&^

_(Six Months Later)_

_Lt. Sinclair looked at the building, half of it lit up, the other half dark. All around him men in SWAT gear prepared to bust down the doors._

_"Our target is in there, kids, so lets do this right." He worked his jaw. "Remember what happened to Thomas."_

_He was about to give an order when his phone rang. Opening it, he grinned when he saw the number, love swelling in his heart._

_"Hey Angel…" He whispered gently._

^&^&^&^

As she had always done for the last week, Dinah threw off her uniform and shoes and pulled on a faded bathrobe, before moving to her computer. Firing up her browser, she began to look over the pages, looking for a lead.

She hadn't said a word to anyone about her flash, mainly because she wasn't sure how anyone would react. Already it was leading her down the lines of a stalker…letting people know why she was doing what she was doing would only make matters worse.

She glanced at the sheets of paper that surrounded her, each reading the same message, the only thing she had seen during her flash. The words she had committed to memory since that event, just as she had wanted 6 months from now.

The message was simple and blood chilling:

"IF YOU WANT TO LIVE  
FIND WEST O'REILLY"


	3. 137 Sekunden

(Early Morning- Washington DC, J Edgar Hoover Building)

"Agent Gomez!"

Ernesto A. Gomez turned, narrowing his eyes before halting the elevator doors. His boss was rushing after him, a stack of papers in hand.

"Agent Gomez!" He shouted, coming to a stop before the Hispanic man. "Where do you think you are going?"

"Out." Ernesto stated simply, shifting the box in his hands.

His boss shook his head. "No, you are not. The field office in LA wants you to fly out right now. They need help investigate a lead in the flashforward incident."

"I'm not going to LA." He said simply.

"The big bosses say you are."

He shook his box. "And all the stuff from my desk say I'm not." He let go of the HOLD button. "I quit."

^&^&^&^

(Chicago- Borders Book Store)

Bookstores, Dinah had found, had there own feeling. The small ones, tucked away where few found them, were lost tombs that could hold treasure…or already be sacked, leaving only the pickings others had found. Some were loud and noisy, like some sporting arena for the tome readers.

But today, the store seemed to have a stilling effect, as if she had pulled back the veil and found herself in a grand palace when she believed her dwelling to merely be a shack.

In any other age, Dinah's quest, to find a man named West O'Reilly, would have been difficult…perhaps impossible. She could have traveled the countryside, begging for aid of peasants and fellow vagabounds to discover her mysterious knight.

Well, this princess didn't wear dresses, and she didn't go traveling when Google was widely available.

A few keystrokes had given her everything she needed to know: West O'Reilly, son of an American general and a free spirited Irish woman named Julia who refused to change her last name or force her sons to be known as West and Thomas Doobleberry. He had gotten his start working for Image and Dark Horse comics, before hiring his agent, Renee, who got him a job writing for DC, his first book having become a major hit and made him one of the most sought after writers in the industry in less than 8 months time.

From the number of fan sites, Dinah had learned that West was seen as a reluctant rockstar in the comic world. Readers hounded him and stalked him, begging for autographs and more…he was happy to rub hands with his fans, but she could tell by the pictures posted by screaming fangirls and slobbering fan boys that the attention made him uncomfortable.

Thus, why she was here.

Even with the world having gone crazy with Flashforward Fever, Dinah knew that West would not believe her if she came to him and told him he was meant to save her life. He'd just assume she was another crazed fan. Thus, the need for her to plan ahead…and as her father had daughter her, if you wanted to catch something, you had to understand it.

"I'm looking for the graphic novels." She asked the clerk.

The young man smiled, leading her past the shelves filled with travel guides and vampire books that had nothing to do with vampires.

"Right here…any one you were interested in? We got the new Booster Gold: Reality Lost trade paperback in stock…nothing with Green Lantern till November, but I think there is some Superman…"

"I'm actually looking for a graphic novel I read about online…The Blue Beetle: Rebirth."

The clerks eyes lit up, motioning for her to follow him to where a display stood, the blue spandexed hero hovering above where hardcover copies of the graphic novel sat. Dinah wondered how something so thin could be a novel.

"That West O'Reilly…he is a genius." The clerk grinned as he handed her a book. "You read any of the Booster Gold series?" Dinah shook her head. "Ok, so the Blue Beetle is this hero, no powers, like Batman. He was killed a few years ago, but O'Reilly, he wanted to bring him back. In Booster Gold, Geoff Johns had Beetle come back, only to sacrifice himself again to correct time…" The clerk handed Dinah two Booster Gold novels. "Required reading."

"I'll…just see what I think of this first." Dinah stated.

The clerk shrugged. "Ok…telling you though…you need to read this all to get the full experience."

Dinah thanked the man before heading off to a red plush chair, sitting down and cracking open the graphic novel. Skipping the intro and a letter of approval from some guy named Morrison, Dinah was greeted with the image of the Blue Beetle's face, his goggles shining with multiple colors.

"_Time…Booster once tried to describe what it was like, traveling through it. I think he knew he couldn't do a good enough job…that no one can. To try and sum it up into words is to do its power injustice. Time…it is the master of us all."_

Dinah turned the page.

^&^&^&^

"_We are all given only a small amount of time, a small amount in which to do what we must. I think, however, that only those that have seen their deaths can truly understand how small it is."_

_^&^&^&^_

Renee jumped three feet in the air at the slamming of her office's door, her hand flying to her chest and clutching at her heart.

"Don't do that!" She exclaimed at West, her client slumping down in a chair.

"Do what?"

"You nearly gave me a heart attack."

West bit down the joke he wanted to make. He wasn't in the mood. "We need to talk."

"Can we make this quick?"

"Another meeting?" West said, sullenly. "Some other client more important all of a sudden."

"No, I happen to have a karate class at 2."

West narrowed his eyes. "I thought you just got back from karate."

"That was a different one."

"Renee!"

She stared at him, confused. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal?" West grumbled. "You are acting like a woman possessed. You are taking 2 karate classes, you bought body armor, a gun…" He waved a pamphlet at her he had found on her desk. "And you want to hire a body guard?"

"West…a man was trying to kill me."

^&^&^&^

_West raised his assault rifle, staring at Renee as she cowered in front of him._

^&^&^&^

"I know that." West stated. "But I also think you are taking this too seriously. We have no idea if these flashes are real."

"They are, West. If you experienced what I did…"

West crossed his arms.

"Now, what has you all moody?"

West sighed. "This stupid book you and Dan have me on."

Renee leaned forward. "I take it your meeting didn't go well?"

"Geoff is having Superman witness a natural disaster. Grant has Batman cradling Robin's body. Gail has this grand vision of Wonder Woman without her powers. Dan is eating it up with a spoon. Then they get to me."

Renee grimaced. "What did you say?"

West shook his head. "It doesn't matter. They don't like it, want me to rewrite it, and I refused. Thus, I am off the book."

His agent narrowed her eyes. "They fired you?"

"No, but they will, or I will quit. I am not going to tell some grand story, Renee. I am not like that. If they want a slam bam action piece, they need to get Robinson on it or something." He massaged his temples. "So don't even try and talk me out of it."

Renee came from behind her desk, patting his shoulder. "Ok…after my class, I will call Dan and see if we can work something out." She ruffled his hair playfully. "That's my job, to keep you and your pride from screwing things up." She held out her hand. "Your script."

"I'm not changing my mind on this, Renee." West said, handing it over. "You know I am open to suggestion, but not on this. This is the story I want to tell, and if they want me to stay on this project…"

"Yes yes, you are an artist, they are ruining your masterpiece, I got this." She headed out the door, grabbing her uniform. "I'll deal with it…just don't go doing anything stupid."

^&^&^&^

Dinah was trying hard to flip the pages too quickly. The story was sucking her in, making her want to go faster, gather it up…but it felt just wrong to take the story too fast, to not soak it in.

The Blue Beetle was, for reasons she could only assume would have been explained in the other novels the clerk had pointed out, in a 'time sphere', with a villain called the Black Beetle, who had claimed to want to save him…even though it meant destroying the world.

"_Why? Why am I so important? You risked destroying the world, just to make sure I lived."_

"_You wouldn't understand." The Black Beetle commented, sulking in the back of the time sphere._

_The Blue Beetle crossed his arms. "Try me. "_

_The Black Beetle glared up at him. "We all want our lives to be something else…we are all fighting out destinies, in some weak hope we can correct course."_

^&^&^&^

Back to basics.

That was what this was.

Getting back to what she knew, what she could handle.

Renee had resisted the urge to give West a giant kiss when he had come in, all moody and cute like, complaining about the editor. Try as he might to avoid the trappings of a writer, like all those that created, West was protective of his creations, and when Dan had called him on it, he came running to her like a kicked puppy.

This was something she knew, something that was normal and familiar. Something from how life use to be.

"Why are you messing with my guy?" Renee asked, breezing into Dan's office.

The editor of DC looked at her, amused. "I expected you sooner."

"We have offers from Marvel, good ones…should I tell them you are no longer our first choice?"

"And I expected that too." Dan stated. He leaned back in his chair. "Listen, I told you want I wanted…an adventure anthology with our heroes dealing with their own flash forwards. Geoff, Gail, and Grant, they gave me that. West…" He held up West's script. "West gives me Ted and Michael seeing themselves meeting for the first time in months…not fighting a giant battle, but in line for coffee." He threw it down. "Really?"

Renee shook her head. "Did you bother to read the rest of it?" She waved her own copy under Dan's nose. "I read this in the cab…this is better than Blue Beetle:Rebirth…"

"I didn't need to read the rest. This is not what I asked for…"

"Booster and Beetle have a dull vision, I give you. But then, each separately, deal with people, ordinary people, who are taking these visions with acceptance or rejection…all of them in the wrong ways." She began to flip through. "Man saw himself with another woman, so he breaks up with his girlfriend and begins stalking this other girl. Another guy saw darkness, assumed that meant he was dead, tries to kill self. Another criminal sees himself apparently free, so he feels he can commit any crime he wants."

Dan sighed. "Ok, I will give you that is interesting…"

"More than that." Renee stated, taking back the script. "You run the story the big three did and you get a few fan boys loving you. You round it out with West's…and you are looking at awards. I promise you that."

^&^&^&^

Dinah was riveted as she turned the next page, taking in the image of the Blue Beetle reacting to the news that the Black Beetle was infact himself from the future. The villain was speaking now, eyes defiant.

"_You can deny it all you want…but I am you. All of this…everything I have done, is to try and keep us both from the pain that was our lives and the pain that is to come. Our lives have been a struggle…but the future that is yet to be written…I will do everything I can to fight against that."_

^&^&^&^

Thomas flopped down on the coach, looking over at his brother, a pad and pen in hand. "Trouble writing?"

West shook his head. "Nope…Renee got my script ok…now I need to get to the next issue of Blue Beetle."

Thomas nodded. "Then why are you so moody?"

"I'm not moody."

"Its me, West…we use to take baths together…I know you all too well. You've been in a strange funk for over a week now…what the hell is up with you."

West leaned back in his chair, letting out a disgusted chuckle. "You know Renee's vision?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm the guy holding the gun."

Thomas blinked.

"Gonna arrest me now, or after I kill her, baby brother?"

^&^&^&^

'_And I have to wonder to myself…are these visions true? Has my life led me to this moment? And if so…if I do not have control over my own actions…do I have any control at all?'_

"Pretty good, huh?" The clerk asked.

Dinah nodded softly. "Yes…I will get this and these two" She picked up the other novels he had suggested, then decided to add the third in the Booster series to her stack. "…do you have anything else by West O'Reilly?"

"Not in trades. West just began writing The Blue Beetle monthly series, up to issue 3." The clerk led her to a register. "Once you get done with those, come back and I will show you the back issues so you can get caught up." He glanced around before leaning towards her. "Want some inside info on O'Reilly?"

Dinah nodded, hoping maybe she had caught a new lead.

"He's going to do another book…with Gail Simone, Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison…about the visions. They are calling it GLIMPSES…its going to be award winning." The clerk grinned. "My vision…I was looking over the 1st printing of the hardcover trade…its going to win a lot of awards…"

Dinah tampered down her disappointment. "I will remember that."

"Don't post it on any fan sites…hush hush and all."

She merely nodded, paying for her order and heading out to her car.

Dinah never noticed the car at the other end of the parking lot, its occuptant taking photos of her.

"Dinah Hines…we meet at last." Former agent Ernesto A. Gomez stated.


	4. Black Swan

"I wish you'd just arrested me." West muttered as his brother flipped through the magazine.

Thomas glanced at his brother in annoyance. "If you want to get plowed in the ass, you don't need to wish to be arrested…I can hook you put with some guys I've met while undercover…"

"And this conversation just took a strange turn." West said, kicking his feet out in front of him. "Seriously, why can't we be like most Irish families and ignore our problems."

"Italian families do that, remember? The Irish drink."

West was wishing he had a flask at the moment.

HE had considered many different possibilities for how his brother would ract to the news that he was the one that would shoot Renee. Anger, disbelief, horror…

But instead, Thomas had blindsided him by wanting to learn more about what had caused the event.

West really didn't want to know.

But, because he couldn't say no to his brother…West found himself sitting in some shrinks office, where he was going to be put under in hopes of recalling more of his flashback. The practice was apparently popular, people seeking out anyone who could claimed to have the power to aid them in learning more. West had smelled a rat almost instantly, but Thomas assured him that this shrink was official guy for the Chicago PD, thus on the level.

But West could care less if this guy was Madame Cleo. He did not want to remember his flash forward…hell, he didn't want to remember anything at this point. Deadlines, editors getting on his back, meeting with artists to decide who would be working with him…he really wasn't interested.

"Come on…I said I would do this with you." Thomas stated.

West glared at him. "You saw a ceiling. I was waving a gun. Big difference, Thomas."

His brother shrugged as the receptionist called for them.

"Now or never." Thomas stated.

"Never?" West asked, only to be dragged towards the door.

^&^&^&^

Renee leaned forward, letting the psychic take her hands. "What do you see?" She asked.

"I see a man."

Renee nodded. "I know…I asked you about him."

"A tall, dark man." The woman said, her accent hard to place. A strange colored smoke drifted all about her darkened room, and Renee had to wonder if it was a …legal…smoke. She had been told about the psychic by one of her clients, a wild haired artist type that wrote post-modern fiction that she herself got confused over at times by the critics loved. West had begged her not to go, but she had wanted to give it a shot…desperate to prevent the image she had witnessed.

Now, she was wishing she had taken him up on his offer for lunch…his almost desperate, pleading offer…

Renee furrowed her brow, thinking about how desperate West had sounded…

"This man…this tall, dark man…"

"You already said that." Renee groaned.

The psychic didn't respond to the comment. "I sense you have…a connection to this man. He is someone you know."

Now the psychic was providing info she needed. "Do you know who he is?"

"I see…bugs swarming around him…blue bugs…blue…beetles. Yes…blue beetles…no, no…just one. THE blue beetle." The psychic nodded. "Yes…and there is something else, I see…a compass…it is spinning…spinning…it has stopped." The psychic opened her eyes, grinning, Renee leaned away from the yellowed teeth and hideous coffee and tobacco breath. "It is pointing west…that is his name…West, the master of the blue beetle. He is the man that shoots you."

Renee blinked. "West…shoots me?" Renee looked down. "That…is the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" She stood up, snatching her purse. "West shooting me…please."

^&^&^&^

"I want you to focus, West." Dr. Steel stated, watching as West's tense body lay upon his couch. "I am not going to ask you anything…you don't have to say a word. What you will see…is entirely private. Do you understand?"

West slowly nodded. "I understand." He took several calming breaths. "So…what now?"

"Now I want you to focus, to think back to what you saw that day, during your flashback. I want you to think not about what you were doing…" West tensed, "No…no, don't think about that. Don't. Focus on the feelings…on your thoughts. Ignore everything else…just what you feel, what you are thinking."

West took several deep breaths, forcing himself not to see Renee's terror filled eyes, or the remember the weight of the gun in his hands. Instead he focused on what he was feleing, what memories he could gather…as strange as that was.

'Thomas'

He was't surprised that Thomas was in his thoughts during that moment. But it was surprising that it wasn't regret or fear…it was something else, a burning sensation, one he knew all too well back when they were younger and he had gotten into fights with his brother's bullies. A protectiveness. Had something happened to Thomas…his brother has said something about a ceiling in his flashforward, thinking he was in a hospital…was his brother right? Had Thomas been injured…had he done it himself?

Then another person, an old man, and West nearly came out of the trance, so much anger flooding his veins. He clenched his teeth as he felt the need to rip the old man apart…a man he had never met…he was raging and afraid at the same time, not knowing what to do when encountering such raw hatred.

Her.

West felt his heart beat harder, faster, as the image appeared, for only a split second. Auburn hair, dark eyes looking back at him with a mixture of fear and relief. He felt the need to protect her, to hold her…

"Dinah." West whispered, the shrink looking up. "Dinah."

^&^&^&^

Lt. Sinclair glared at the booking officer. "Where the hell is O'Reilly?"

The booking agent, a blonde haired woman that had only managed to make it this fair in the police force by looks alone, shrugged her shoulders, never looking up. "He took a personal day."

"He took a whole weeks worth when he went all sissy on me 2 weeks back! We got a town scared shitless, and he is running around taking personal days?" Sinclair wished he could light up a cigarette.

"What are you going to do?" The woman muttered.

Sinclair glared at her. "You mind shaping up, officer? You are speaking to your boss."

The woman looked up, fluttering her eyelashes. "I am ever so sorry." She cooed.

Sinclair laughed; a dark, biting laugh. "Honey, that might work on most men…but trust me…" he got right in her face, his nostrils flaring, "you ain't my type."

The woman blinked as he stormed past her.

^&^&^&^

"West!" Thomas shouted, hurrying after his brother. "Would you slow down?"

"I have to find her, Thomas." West said, seemingly possessed.

"And I ask again, find who?"

"Dinah?"

"Who the hell is that?"

West shrugged his shoulders as he continued along the sidewalk, not paying attention to where he was going. He spun around, walking backwards, people having to move to avoid hitting him. "I don't know, Thomas, but she is the key to all of this."

"Key to what?"

West groaned. "Would you pay attention? My flash forward!"

Thomas grabbed his brother's arm. "It is a sad day when I have to act like the big brother." He muttered. "I mean, she is the key in which way?"

"I had three people appear in my head, Thomas. Three people I thought of when I was getting ready to shoot Renee."

Thomas glared at him. "Keep your voice down."

West grit his teeth. "You're right, I hate you as the big brother." He grew quieter. "First was you."

"I'm flattered." Thomas muttered dully, pulling his brother into a diner and leading him to a table.

"Next was this old man…I don't know…" West held up his hand, knuckles white from clenching it. "I could kill him, Thomas. Right now." He looked up at the server, a battleax of a woman, and gave her a winning smile. "And then Mabels says, she says…"

"Don't care, don't want to know, pick out what you want. Your real waitress will be hear in a moment." The woman hurumped, before lumbering back to her other table. "Just because Otis is gone for the afternoon don't mean you get out of working!" She bellowed at someone in the kitchen.

West wiped away a fake tear. "Just like grandma use to act."

"There's the older brother I love to hate." Thomas commented, taking his menu.

West sighed. "ANd then there was this…I don't know who she was, but she is important."

"Dinah."

"Right."

Thomas shook his head. "And I suppose you are going to find her?"

"And say what? 'Hi, I am going to kill my agent, do you know why?'." Thomas set his menu down. "You going to google her?"

West shrugged. "I'll figure it out. Might take weeks, months, but if the flash forward is true…"

"Which we hope not, because then you are going to commit murder."

"…she will be important."

Thomas looked at his brother. "And you think she is going to buy any of this if she sees you?"

"West?"

West and Thomas turned, their waitress staring at them in shock.

"West?" She whispered again. "West O'Reilly?"

"Dinah?" West whispered.

Thomas looked at the sky. "You enjoy mocking me, don't you God?" He muttered. He noticed the battleax waitress staring at him. "And now I'm…talking to myself. Wonderful, thanks West. Really, appreciate it."


	5. Gimme Some Truth

"I can't believe I'm sitting next to you." Dinah whispered.

"I can't believe it either."

"I can't believe I'm missing Modern Family for this." Thomas complained from his recliner, chin prompted up on his closed fist. He watched his brother and the new girl sit on the couch, staring at each other like two giggly teens. "Though, it is nicer than you two just sitting there all quiet like."

"You don't have to sit and watch us." West stated.

Thomas rolled his eyes. "Someone needs to babysit you."

"I'm not liking him." Dinah stated.

"He grows on you…like a rash." West quipped.

Thomas groaned. "Listen, newlyweds, could we get to the meat of the meal? Or are we going to have to sit here and pretend that you two aren't sitting on the coach due to you having some insane vision?"

"Why is it insane?" Dinah asked.

Thomas leaned forward. "I saw a ceiling, you saw a piece of paper saying my brother would save your life, and my brother was going to shoot his agent! That sounds insane to me."

Dinah blinked. "…what?"

West slowly turned, eyes alit with fire.

"…I take it back?" Thomas ventured.

^&^&^&^

"What do you think about that hearing, leutenient?" Detective Robert Fine asked, sitting down at his desk as Lt. Sinclair got another cup of coffee.

"Could care less." He said, gruffly.

Det. Fine always enjoyed pressing the grump button that was his boss, and knew that this conversation would only lead to fun. "Oh? You aren't at all interested in them deciding who will be investigating the flash forwards?"

Sinclair huffed. "No. And you know why I don't care."

Fine leaned back in his chair. "Refresh my memory?'

"They are politicians. They will do what politicians do…waste our money to further their own selfish goals, solve nothing, and basically act like assholes." Sinclair downed his coffee in one slurp. "The hippies had it right."

"I would have thought you'd hate hippies."

Sinclair glared at him. "I'll have you know that Woodstock was one of the best times of my life."

"Seriously?"

"I had dreadlocks."

Sinclair didn't say it with a smile, or a calm humor. He said it with a cold, callous tone, as if Fine should have seen this development.

"Wow."

"The government only makes things worse…they put in too many rules, too many papers that need to be signed…they make the entire world run two hours slower. We can't even shoot a suspect anymore without worrying if some politician will complain. We can't have fast cars to chase criminals because the gas we burn might hurt the environment." He scoffed. "They don't let you do what you want, act as you want, love who you love, marry who you want to marry, live where you want…nothing." He turned towards his office. "So let them argue till the cows come home! I am going to be dealing with the real world! We have people running around acting like idiots because of what they saw, thinking they can do whatever they wish, and the only ones that care are us! So they can do their thing, and we will actually get something done!"

And with that, he slammed his door.

"…Woodstock?" Fine muttered with a laugh.

^&^&^&^

"You are trying to kill someone?" Dinah screamed as she marched down the stairway.

"We don't know that!" West stated.

Thomas followed after them. "Guys, the neighbors?"

"I'll buy their apartments and make them into toy stores!" West snapped. "And you stay out of this!"

"Oh, so that's how you react to your brother…color me surprised that you would react to a stranger with a gun!"

"It's actually his agent…" Thomas stated, West turning to stare at his brother, jaw dropped, "What?"

"Why are you saying these things?"

"Because I think it's a little odd that you too are acting like soulmates?"

"You were the one that took me to the shrink!"

Thomas threw up his arms. "Listen, there is a difference between seeing yourself attack someone and finding some random woman and believing she is the love of your life!"

"I never said that!" West roared. He paused when he felt himself bump into Dinah.

"And what exactly is the problem with me?"

West turned back towards her, Thomas leaning towards his brother's ear. "Slippery slope." He hissed.

"You shut up!" She screamed, poking him in the nose.

Thomas' nose wrinkled. "You know I am a cop, right?"

"Then you will have to explain to your buddies why you, the big badcop, got beat up by a girl half your size!"

"…I take it back, West…marry this girl."

"Thanks for the approval." West ground out.

Dinaha stormed away towards the door. "I am leaving this insanity, right now." She stalked past the startled doorman, waving her hands as she tried to flag down a taxi. "I don't know what I was thinking, listening to a vision!" No taxis paid her heed, though one dark car did slow down, moving to avoid her. "Like you would save my life!"

The car rolled down its window, the barrel of a gun emerging.

"DRIVEBY!" Thomas shouted.

West dove forward, grabbing Dinah and throwing her out of the way. Moments later shots rang out, sending people scattering. West covered is Dinah with his body, feeling the bullets whiz past him.

Dinah stared up at him in shock.

^&^&^&^

In the dark car, formed FBI agent Ernesto Gomez tucked his gun in the glove compartment.


	6. Scary Monsters and Super Creeps

"Dracula fangs…" Thomas muttered, tossing the cheap fangs into the cart. " Fake blood…hair spray…gay shirt…"

"Gay shirt?" West asked.

"I'm going as that non-vampire vampire from Twilight." Thomas stated, holding up a plastic stake. "That just got stabbed."

"Beautiful." West stated.

"So, who are you going as?"

West frowned. "No flipping clue. Renee is arranging this for me…I don't get a say in what I am wearing at all."

"Lets pray she doesn't give you riot gear."

West glared at his brother. "Still not funny."

Thomas nodded. "Yeah, yeah. So, is your girlie gonna be at this party?"

"She might…Policemen's Spooktacular Ball is open to anyone." West paused. "Horrible name, by the way."

Thomas nodded. "I know."

West shook his head. "I can't believe we are actually having the Ball this year."

"I can't believe I don't have to pay for a ticket…being a detective rocks." He shrugged as he pushed his cart towards the candy, watching as West began loading up with Kit Kats. "I thought we had candy for the trick or treaters."

"We do." West said, hugging one of the bags close to his chest.

"…come on, ya sugar addict."

^&^&^&^

(8 hours later)

Former FBI agent Gomez sat in his car, watching as the party guests made their way into the hotel, where the party was awaiting them. Any other time, any other place, he would be in there in a second. There was someone…very special in there, a bit too close to West O'Reilly than he would have liked…but he couldn't risk showing his face, not yet.

Thus, he was seated in his car, eating Chinese food and watching the front.

Thriller began playing on the radio. Annoyed, Gomez switched to another station.

"Your body begins to shiver…"

Gomez filled the channel.

"Thriller!"

Flip…

"It's after mid…night…"

Gomez groaned.

^&^&^&^

Renee grinned, looking over Thomas' costume. "Edward Cullen?"

"I guess…" He said, tapping his stake. "If that is the name of that annoying non-vampire vampire." He gave her a long look. "And you are…an annoying doctor?"

"Dr. Meredith Grey."

"…as I said, an annoying doctor."

Renee smacked him on the shoulder. "You and your brother…the tongues on you." She rocked back and forth on her heels. "So, what do you think of the costume I got your brother?"

Thomas laughed, watching as West moved about, trying to look dignified in his Blue Beetle costume. "You are a cruel, cruel woman."

Renee smirked. "I have to get my kicks some way."

Thomas nodded, sipping some punch, as he watched Lt. Sinclair stalk about the room dressed a General Patton. "Seems like everyone needed some way to have fun, for once."

Renee nodded. "Did West tell you what I saw in my flashforward?"

Thomas gave a weak smile. "…yeah."

^&^&^&^

Dinah glanced around, wondering where West was. She had kept in touch with him, after he had saved her from that driveby, and had felt bad for the way she had acted. She wanted to apologize, but to do that, she would need to find him first.

She took a step, only to let out a tiny shriek when a man in a grim reaper costume spun towards her, offering his hand. She tried to wave him off, but he began to pantomime crying, and she just couldn't stop giggling. Finally she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor, spinning about to the gothic music.

^&^&^&^

"Jeez…what the hell are you suppose to be…the blue bird of happiness?"

West smirked at Lt. Sinclair. "Did you know that the little arrows on army jackets are symbols for the phallus? The more important the warrior, the more tiny penises you get."

Sinclair stared at West for a moment. "You are a wise ass, aren't you."

"And I could buy and sell you like that."

Sinclair glared at him…before slapping him on the back. "I know where they have the good liquor…I can get us it for free."

"Ah, you'd do me papa proud!" West said, letting his natural Irish accent tint his voice before letting himself be led away.

^&^&^&^

Thomas looked over at Renee, watching the party go into full swing. "And there is the booking officer taking her top off."

Renee laughed. "You cops through quite a party."

"Of course…with all of us drunk, who is there to arrest you for being naughty?"

"Isn't that what Halloween is all about?" Renee questioned.

"I suppose it is." Thomas stated with a slight smile, one Renee had seen West give her right before he unveiled his biggest plot twist. "I suppose it is."

^&^&^&^

Renee laughed as the Grim Reaper lifted her in the air for a moment, only to set her down and pretend his back was aching. She raised his face up, staring at his skull mask, and let out a mock sigh. "Oh Mr. Reaper…if only we were not of two worlds. I am a Fairy Princess, and you are the angel of death."

The Grim Reaper put his hand to his chest, mimicking a heart beat.

"You are a charmer, I will give you that." She stated.

^&^&^&^

West sighed as he let the amber liquid slide down his lips. "Ah, a good drink, if I ever had one."

Sinclair glanced over at his drinking buddy. "You do realize this changes nothing, right? I am still going to treat your brother like shit."

"And why is that?" West asked.

"Toughen him up." He stared off at the dance floor. "My flashforward…I am surrounding a building…something about your brother. I think he got hurt." He shook his head. "You tell him this and I kill you…he's one of the good ones."

West nodded, knocking back a final glass. "I hear ya…you watch out for him, and I'll do the same." He paused, noticing Dinah. "Now, I need to rescue my princesses."

Sinclair nodded, opening his phone and dialing a number, sending a text. "Yeah…got to get a message out to my angel."

^&^&^&^

"Excuse me, Mr. Reaper?"

The Grim Reaper turned to stare at West. Dinah grinned, hugging West tight.

"Might I borrow the princess…she owes me a dance."

The Reaper considered this, still holding onto Dinah's wrist.

"Please, Grim Reaper…you will have me one day…death claims us all. Let the blue boy have his fun."

The Reaper nodded, letting Dinah and West go out onto the dance floor. Walking towards the bathroom, the Reaper removed his mask.

Otis smiled, running his gloved fingers through his gray hair. "Yes…I will have you one day."

^&^&^&^

(November 1st)

"Thomas…" West groaned, stumbling about the living room. Dinah was in his bed, her having gotten so drunk he had demanded she spend the night at his place. Thomas had stayed later, and West wanted to find out how the party had gone. "Thomas…" he said, opening his brother's bedroom door…

….only to see Renee's naked ass, her unconscious form sprawled over Thomas' equally nude form.

West stared.

"…I need to stop drinking."


	7. The Gift

"What the hell has you down?" Lt. Sinclair asked, looking over at Thomas. The detective was, in a word, brooding. "You know the drunks and the rapists are enough to bring me down…you don't have to help them in that task."

"Its nothing, sir." Thomas stated.

Sinclair shook his head. "Let me make this clear…I don't ask these things because I am being polite. I ask because I want to (censored) know! So spill…now; what the hell is wrong?"

Thomas let out a sigh. "My brother."

"What, writer boy having a box in his melon?"

"I wouldn't know if he did have one." Thomas admitted at last. "Haven't seen him in a week."

"What do you mean…you and your brother are close…way to close if you ask me."

Thomas let out a long blast of air. "We booked himself in a hotel…he's not speaking to me."

Sinclair raised an eyebrow. "Call the pope, hell just froze over."

"Very funny, sir." Thomas muttered.

"Watch the snark, detective." Sinclair snapped. "Now tell me…what did you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"People do not give the silent treatment when they are the ones that made the mistake. So…you screwed up…how bad?"

"…I slept with his agent."

Sinclair let out a long whistle. "I don't believe it."

"That I could do that."

"That you ain't a virgin."

Thomas leaned back in his seat. "Thanks…sir."

"Buck up, kid. We got bigger problems." Sinclair shook his had. "How much did the others officers tell you about last night?"

"Not much, sir." Thomas admitted.

Sinclair shook his head. "Some nut…people are calling him a prophet, others a god. He had been telling anyone that would listen for years now that something big was going to happen…now of course he is claiming he was right. All these nutters, the ones that are taking their visions too seriously…they are listening to him like he is a modern friggin' Jesus."

"I am guessing something went down?"

"Damn straight." Sinclair muttered. "The idiot…they call him 'Father Flash' now…he is playing both sides…proclaiming you can make your good visions come true and your bad ones go away. We get a call last night…one of the re-res that went to Father Flash's latest speech had seen himself getting divorce papers…so he went home and shot his wife."

"Jesus…"

"The lord had nothing to do with this." Sinclair stated. "She's survive…the husband's in lock up, and if I can be a prophet, he will be served those paper in April."

Thomas nodded. "And I am guessing more is going down."

"I can only assume." Sinclair muttered.

^&^&^&^

"West….West, open the door!"

Renee jumped back as the door opened, revealing a disheveled West O'Reilly standing their. His hair was messed up, he had a whiskey bottle in his hand, and he wore a loose wifebeater."

"Piss off." He snarled, slamming the door in her face.

"West, just listen to me…I can explain."

"I said piss off!" He shouted.

Renee blinked, trying to rid herself of the tears. "West…it was just a one night stand…it meant nothing."

"Exactly." West snarled from behind the door.

"…huh?"

"That was my baby brother! You used him like he was some common whore!"

"…you are mad…because we had a one night stand?"

"Mad at him too for the same reason." West muttered. "Now its gonna be awkward and everyone will be on eggshells…all because you two got plastered." He sighed. "I…I need time, Renee, to get my feelings about you two using each other. Give me a few more days…then I will see if I can talk to you."

"West…"

The door opened and he snaked a stack of papers out to her. "I've been writing…not just the Blue Beetle or that Falshforward comic project. A miniseries…also got a new rebirth project in mind." Renee stared at the papers. "Read them…that will give us both time to calm down."

Renee took a breath. "Ok."

^&^&^&^

Beyond the door, West set the whiskey bottle down. "Think she bought it?"

Dinah grinned, from where she lay in bed, the covers curled around her nude form. "At least to buy us a few more days without people bugging us."

"What did you tell your boss?"

"Swine flu."

West laughed. "Naughty girl." He pulled off the wife beater, all signs of his fake drunkenness gone as he dove at her, Dinah laughing as he did so.

^&^&^&^

"Brothers and Sisters!" Father Flash proclaimed to those gathered in the hotels conference room. "Many have proclaimed these visions to be a gift…others a curse. But I say to you know, they are neither thing."

"Preach father!" A woman called out.

"These visions, they are a chance…not good, not bad…but a chance. They show us the grand things and let us work towards them…or the miserable things and make uswork to avoid them. They are great blessings, and I simply do not know why people do not see them as such."

"Praise Father Flash!" An old man called out.

Father Flash grinned. Weeks ago he had been a shabby looking street dweller, smelly and sticky and dirty and avoided. Now he wore a fine 50 dollar suit, had his long hair cut and pulled in a pony tail, and everyone was listening as the old man proclaimed his visions for this new world.

"We all must take these visions to heart, and use them for the greater good…and for the betterment of ourselves." Father Flash paused. "I had a vision too…a great visions that I can not share with you…I can not share it…"

"Please Father, share it!" A few called out.

"If you are going to twist my arm, than ok." He said quickly. "I saw, in April, all of us gathered in a park. And everyone was smiling. We all had jobs…families…lovers and friends…everything we had dreamed of had come true. And we were there, with the world watching, to unveil a grand statue…a statue to show the world the power of the message I send to you." He placed his hand to his chest. "It is a vision I want to occur…"

"Let it! Let it!" The people chanted.

"Oh, I will. I must work towards the good…and that first step…is to make that statue arise. But I need your help…I need you all to help me build that statue…will you help me? Will you work towards the good? Will you resist the bad? Will you give to make that dream come true?"

The people cheered, and the money began to poor forth.

None of them saw the man with the gun leave the conference room.

"Money for statue…money for statue…" He chanted, his dreams of women throwing themselves at him, of getting a big house with all the gadgets he could ever want, of his boss licking his shoes because he was top dog…all of it would only come if he could make that statue rise…

He kicked down the door to the President's Suite…however staying there would have money…

He pointed the gun at the two figures lying in bed.

"…aw hell…" West O'Reilly muttered.


	8. Playing Cards with Coyotes

"Can I atleast put my pants on?" West asked.

"No." Their kidnapper stated.

"Can I put on a shirt?" Dinah asked.

"I'd prefer it if you said no." West stated.

"Yes." Their kidnapper stated, tossing her West's Blackhawks jersey.

West glared at the man. "Other than you kidnapping us, that is the biggest reason for me to hate you."

Dinah shot him a disgusted look. "West, why are you taunting him?"

"Because he won't shoot us till he gets his money…and let me make it very clear that if you shoot either of us, I will personally tell the cops to take as long as they can." He paused, considering something. "What is your name?"

"I am not telling you."

"I will call you Stinky then, because it makes me smile."

Dinah groaned. "Are you drunk?"

West smiled.

^&^&^&^

"You can't believe that swine flu nonsense!" Roberta complained.

Otis looked up from the stove, laughing at the old woman's petulant stare. "Better safe than sorry."

"She is a liar and a con woman…you have to stop listening to her."

Otis shook his head. "And you need to stop attacking her just because you don't like her."

Roberta glared at him, snatching a plate and moving to hand it off to a man at the counter. "I do not like her because she is lazy, she takes advantage of everyone, and that she is a selfish brat."

Otis glared at her as she returned to the stove. "Now you are pushing it."

"Maybe I need to push it to get you to see the facts-"

Otis' hand snaked out, grabbing her shoulder and giving her a hard shake. "ENOUGH!" He snarled. "YOU ARE NOT HER BOSS, I AM! SO YOU WILL STOP COMPLAINING AND GET BACK TO WORK!"

Roberta stumbled back, eyes wide as Otis went back to his stove.

^&^&^&^

"So Stinky, why exactly are you kidnapping us and holding us for a ransom?"

The man narrowed his eyes, still playing with his gun. "We need the money."

"And who is we?" West questioned.

"The children of Father Flash…we need the money for a statue in his honor."

"…ok then." West muttered.

"Why does this Father Flash need a statue?" Dinah questioned.

The man just stared at them. "You would not understand."

"Try us." West commented. "I think, as hostages, we deserve that much."

"Father Flash had a vision, that all of us would be happy…to make that vision come true, we must do everything we can…"

"To make it true…now that is a clunky line of thought." West stated.

'Stinky' pointed the gun at West. "Don't mock me!"

Dinah help up her hands. "Ok…ok…no mocking." She sighed. "You must have had a wonderful vision of the future to risk doing this, just to make it come true."

"I had no vision." The man stated. "That is why I must change my fate…and only Father Flash can help me do this!"

West raised an eyebrow. "And you don't think that, maybe, the reason you don't have a flashforward is because you kidnapped us and the police fill you full of lead?"

The man blinked, never having considered this.

^&^&^&^

"All cars, we have a report of a gunman inside the Hilton Hotel. Please respond."

Lt. Sinclair chuckled. "You hear that kid…looks like things are about to get interesting."

"The Hilton?" Thomas whispered. "My brother is staying there."

"What…you think he is involved?" Sinclair asked, clearly not buying it.

Thomas shook his head. "Knowing my brother…he's right in the middle."

"Be advised, gunmen believed to be holding a red haired male, mid twenties, and a dark haired female. Male believed to be irish." The dispatch stated.

Thomas looked over at Sinclair.

"Your family has terrible luck, kid."

^&^&^&^

Author's Note; Very short chapter, I know. Hope to have a longer one next time.


End file.
